(1) In the original edition (T) the reading was “yuṣaddiqū”; the reading established by manuscript S and by al-Maqalāt is as given above. (2) The phrase enclosed in quotation marks is an addition found in manuscript S, edition T, and in al-Maqalāt. (3) God Almighty says: “And they followed what the devils recited during the reign of Solomon. Solomon did not disbelieve, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic. And that which was revealed to the two angels in Babylon, Harut and Marut—yet the two did not teach anyone until they said, ‘We are only a trial, so do not disbelieve.’ They learned from them what causes separation between a man and his wife. And they could not harm anyone by it except by Allah’s permission.” (Quran 2:102) (4) Magic (sihr) literally means “taking”; any subtle, finely wrought means of acquisition is called sihr. To “bewitch” also means “to deceive.” Its root denotes the use of illusions and trickery: the magician makes things appear other than they are, as one who sees a mirage from afar and imagines it water. See Mukhtar al-Sihah, p. 288 (entry “sihir”), and al-Qurtubi, Tafsir 1/2/44. (5) That is, magic has real existence—contrary to the view of the Muʿtazila and their adherents. Al-Qurtubi (Tafsir 1/2/46) reports the divergent opinions: Ahl al-Sunnah affirmed that magic is real and substantive, whereas the majority of the Muʿtazila and Abu Ishaq al-Istirabadhy (of the Shafiʿi school) held that magic has no objective reality but is merely illusion, fancy, and suggestion—rendering something other than what it is, akin to sleight of hand and trickery. They cite as proof God’s words: “He displays to each person what they desired through their magic” (Quran 20:66) and “They bewitch the people’s eyes” (Quran 7:116). This, however, is not conclusive, for we do not deny that illusion and the like fall under magic, but there are aspects affirmed by reason and attested by revelation… He then presents the proofs of its reality and occurrence and concludes: “Thus it is proven…”